Health insurance is made up of the basic mandatory insurance and complementary insurances. The basic insurance entitles every person living in Switzerland to quality medical treatment and care in their canton of residence. Every person living in Switzerland must apply for mandatory health insurance (= basic insurance), including children. It provides every insured person with the same benefits.

If you are insured in a state of the European community (as well as Iceland and Norway), you may not have to insure yourself in Switzerland. We recommend you consult the “Federal Office of Public Health” (OFSP) FAQs .

Basic health insurance benefits cover expenses related to sickness and maternity (as well as accidents, if your employer’s accident insurance doesn’t apply). They namely cover:

•   Ambulatory care dispensed by doctors,
•   Medication prescribed by doctors,
•   Hospital stays in common rooms in your canton of residence (as well as
    hospitals outside your canton, under certain conditions)
•   Help and care at home (Spitex system),
•   Convalescent home stays and medical rehabilitation (cure, treatments, etc.).

For further details, refer to the OFSP’s “your questions – our answers” brochure .

Be careful, dental care isn’t taken in charge by basic insurance, unless related to a severe illness.

Your insurance premium depends on your place of residence, your age, gender, coinsurance, and the modalities of your chosen insurance (resorting to a care network, etc.). The OFSP puts a premium calculator at your disposal. You can pay your premium monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly. The insurance premium isn’t deduced from your salary, so don’t forget it when calculating your budget. On top of the insurance premium, insured persons must pay a part of the expenses related to care and treatment (except when related to maternity). This participation includes:

• A normal minimum coinsurance of 300CHF/year (for adults over 18 only):
  you can choose to pay a higher coinsurance and thus pay less premium.
•  A quota: a 10% participation in the expenses going beyond the coinsurance,
  maximum 700CHF/year for adults and 350CHF/year for children up to 18 years
  old.

Basic insurance’s premiums increase every year. New prices are given out in October for the following year. Basic insurance’s services remain the same with every insurer; only the quality of the administrative reception may vary. Don’t hesitate to compare premiums every year and even switch insurance. Pay attention to cancellation delays however.

You are free to choose your own insurer; you can consult the list of recognized and authorized health insurances in the canton of Neuchâtel. An insurer cannot refuse your application, whatever your age or health, and without reticence or delay. Your deadline for applying with a health insurance is at most three months after you’ve declared yourself as a resident of your commune.